Improvement in apparatus for washing and absorbing gas



E.- soLvAY.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND ABSORBING GAS. No.177,580. Patented May16,1876.

UNITED STATES A ENT ERNEST SOLVAY, OF BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND ABSORBING GAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,580, dated May 16, 1876 application filed To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST SOLVAY, of the city, of Brussels, Belgium, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Washing and Absorbing Gas, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in, which-- i Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same. I

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

It is a well-known fact that the process of washing and absorbing gas can be successfully performed only by an apparatus in whichthe liquid used is caused to circulate in a direction contrary to the gas, and this purpose has been hitherto effected by means of I a column or vertical apparatus, iii-which the liquid is elevated and then allowed to fall, while the gas ascends. In this apparatus the objection, among-others, exists, that a certain amount of power is required for the purpose of elevating the liquid.

My invention consists in an apparatus in which the liquid, as well as the gas, circulates horizontally, and in which the pressure of the gas is utilized for the purpose of causing the liquid to flow in a contrary direction to the gas. 1

My improved apparatus is constructed of a series of air and water tight chambers, which communicate with each other through the medium of an upper and lower .series of bent pipes projecting from opposite sides of the chambers, the diameter of the upper series of pipes being less than that of the lower series, while the former project into the latter in such a manner that if water or other liquid is allowed to run into thechamber situated at one end of the apparatus, and at the same time gas is forced into or generated in the chamber situated at the other end thereof, the gas circulates through the upper series of bent pipes and the chambers, while a suction is created in the lower series of pipes, by the action of which a circulation of the liquid is caused to take place through the lower series of pipes and the chambers in a direction opposite to that of the gas, while the gas commingles with the liquid, and is thereby freed from the im- November 18, 1875.

purities or absorbed, as thecase may be. The chambers, situated at the respective ends of the apparatus, are provided with an inlet and an outlet orifice for the washing or absorbing liquid, and with one or more orifices for the gas. For the purpose of supplying the apparatus with liquid I use a float-box, which communicates with the chamber situated at one end of the apparatus. by a feed-pipe, and by which a constant and uniform. supply of liquid is obtained.

In the drawing, the letters A A A A A A designate the chambers of my apparatus, and a are the lower series of pipes, while b are the upper series of pipes. The aforesaid chambers are made air and water tight, and I prefer to make the division-walls thereof of sheetron. The upper and lower series of pipes at 12 project inwardly from the opposite sides of the chambers, except from those marked A and A which are devoid of pipes, the division-walls of the chambers being provided with apertures c at the points where the pipes are attached thereto, so that the chambers are made to communicate with each other through the medium of the pipes. The lower series of pipes, at, are bent upward, while the upper series of pipes, 12, are bent downward, as shown; and the pipes 11 are made of a less diameter than the pipes a, while the former, b, are made to project into the latter, a, in such a manner'that a space is created between the pipes. The free ends of the upper series of pipes, 12, are provided with notches or serrations.

In the outer walls of the chambers A A are formed, respectively, an inlet-orifice, d, and an outlet-orifice, c, for liquid, while in the roofs of such chambers are formed similar orifices f g for gas, the orifice f being intended for the introduction of gas to the apparatus, and the orifice g for its outlet. The gas, however, may be generated in the chamber A, and in such Y case the inlet-orifice f is dispensed with. From the outlet-orifice 6 projects a discharge-pipe, 0, while to the inlet'orifice d is connected a feed-pipe, D, which extends from a so-called float-box, E. The bottom of this float-box is provided with a hole, y, which contains a conical valve, h, that is suspended by a vertical stem from a float, The valve h is surrounded by a shell, K, which is attached to the bottom of the float-box E, and whichzisadap'ted torhe connected to a pipe for the introduction of water or other liquid to the box.

The position of the valve his dependent on that of the float i, which is buoyed up by the liquid in the box, andrwhentheilevsel ofi-the liquid falls the valve h is automatically opened, so as to let in a fresh, supply of, liquid, while, when the liquid reaches the'proper levelfthe valve -h is shut. The level of the li,quid in the float-box E is thus kept always uniform.

The operation of my apparatus is-based on the fact that if a current of gas is made to pass through a vertical pipe. and liquid is introduced to its lower part, the latter is elevated by thegas, the operation,showever, being successful .only if the pressure of-t-the gas is sufficiently great-compared withthe quantity of the liquid,,or, in -other words, the pressureof the gas must be proportionate tothe height and quantity ofthe liquid to heelevated. 1f

the said current of gas is made to passsuccessively through .a series ot -pipes, whichare .situated in chambers containing liquid, the.

liqnidis made to pass fromone chamber. to

' another, and to circulate horizontally. Bhis,

will be-readily understood from the tbllowing I description of the operation of. myapparatus:

I first allow the 'liquidfrom the'float-box E to pass into the chamberA =,whicl1is situated atone end of the; apparatus, when the lower pipe to of the next or succeeding chamber A is at once filled by the liquid to the-level of that in the chamber A .and in the float-box. I then force a current of gas into the chamber A at the other end of the apparatus, orin-lieu the chamber A, and thenceit passes through the rest of the upper-series of pipes b,=-and through the chambers A A A A action of. the gas as it passes upward from the lower series of pipes a, a'suctionis created in the said lower series of pipes, whereby-when the-gas reaches the pipe in the-chamberA, which contains aquantity of liquid, as before Bythe stated, the level oflthe liquid is first lowered to below the lower end. of :;the'upper pipe, when it is elevated and caused to overflow into the chamber 'A, then in a similar manner tooverflow into the chamber A, and so on into the several chambers. The liquid is cthusicaused .to circulate through the series of chambers A to A inclusive, in a direction op- ..posite to that of the, gas, and after, having -=traversed the chambers it escapes by the out- As the gas issues from the lower let-orifice 6. series of pipes a, it commingles with the liq- "uid overflowing therefrom, and thereby the gas is washed or absorbed according to its ,fected,' while the apparatusis adapted to work continuously.

If desired, the-chambers of -my' apparatus w:may be..'heatedi by placing the vwhole vover a furnace, and the apparatus oanalso-v be: used for distilling.

a whatliolaim -as--.new-,anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. ,Therprocesshereinsdescribed, of wash-in g and absorbing the impurities- -from -.gas, the same-consisting in causing wthewashing and tabsorbing. liquidsanjdrthe gas to circulate horirzontally,-. an.d: utilizing the pressure of the gas, .to cause the washing-liquid to flow in a direc- =tionthereverse of thelgas, asand for the objectspecified.

2.-.An.a-pparatus constructed of a series of .chambers, A A A A A A ,==and having orifices d e for-the-inlet andoutlet otTliq-uid, and

gas-orifices f g,,:one or more, in combination with bent pipes to b, the whole being-adapted to operate substantially as described.

3. Ideombjuation with-l the chambers A- A A A A Aiand thebentpipes w b,- the floatbox. E,-substantial ly as:descri-bed,andfor the object specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have-hereunto .set my fhandthis 14th. day of September, 1875.

E. SOLVAY.

. V Witnesses:

' G. CAUDERLIER, 1 BROIBANT. 

